A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



947 



(2) Better-stocked shortleaj -loblolly-hardwood stands. Figure 14 

 (diagram B) and table 15 show stands that are in better condition to 

 yield current returns when organized into forest properties than the 

 average-stocked stands. 



The cutting practice necessary to build up stands such as that shown 

 in table 14 to take advantage of their earning possibilities consists in 

 very light cuttings, returning to a given stand about once every 10 

 years. Not only will an effort be made to increase the number of 

 smaller trees ^un til the ground is as fully occupied as warranted by 

 the characteristics of the species, but at each cut some of the thrifty 

 larger trees will be held for further growth. Younger trees will 

 gradually come up into the small timber class if seed trees of requisite 

 number and age are present and fire does not destroy the seedlings. 

 When the density of the stand has been fully built up cuttings will 

 usually take the form of clean cutting groups and removing single 

 trees as required throughout the intervening stand. Some of these 

 scattered trees will be removed because fully matured in size and 

 value, others will be thinned put of dense groups to give remaining 

 trees more space. Each addition to the growing stock, up to a fairly 

 high density, will add to the growth per acre and reduce the cost of 

 production per 1,000 board feet. Small additions to the growing 

 stock left at each cut insure an accumulation of volume far beyond the 

 additions themselves. In other words, the rebuilding of the growing 

 stock is more a matter of skillful handling than of financial sacrifice. 



TABLE 15. Number of trees, volume, and growth, exceptionally well stocked shorlleaf 

 and loblolly pine with some hardwood stands in southern Arkansas 



